Anaesthesia and Intensive Care· 2026Q2
James Moore and a quiet beginning of modern regional anaesthesia
- 0citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
James Moore's 1784 publication, 'A Method of Preventing or Diminishing Pain in Several Operations of Surgery,' detailed the first successful anaesthesia of the lower limb and the concept of 'plexus anaesthesia' using a nerve compressor, predating the Ether Demonstration.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- James Moore published the first English book solely on anaesthesia in 1784, detailing methods to reduce surgical pain.
- Moore successfully anaesthetised a lower limb for amputation using a purpose-made nerve compressor.
- He introduced the concept of 'plexus anaesthesia' by performing the first brachial plexus anaesthesia.
- Moore's work also covered essential perioperative practices still relevant today.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
In contrast to the public spectacle of the Ether Demonstration in 1846, modern regional anaesthesia had a quiet beginning in 1784. That year, James Moore (1762–1860), a Scottish junior surgeon, published the first English book devoted solely to anaesthesia: ‘A Method of Preventing or Diminishing Pain in Several Operations of Surgery’. Using a purpose-made iron nerve compressor, Moore successfully anaesthetised the lower limb and completed a near-painless below-knee amputation with John Hunter (1728–1793). Similarly, he also performed the first brachial plexus anaesthesia, introducing the concept of ‘plexus anaesthesia’. Beyond this achievement, Moore’s 50-page book covers essential perioperative practices that are still relevant today. With the recent rediscovery of a Moore’s compressor in Scotland by the authors, this paper critically analyses Moore’s contribution. It reframes his narrative through frameworks such as the sociological tipping point, self-experimentation, anatomical analysis and collaboration, challenging the prevailing historical paradigm.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: History
HistoryArts and Humanities